Improvement in combined accordion and flute



C' 3Sheets-Sheet l. Oombined lAccordion and Flute. No. 221,148,

Patented Nov. 4, 1879.

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Wlnesses M46@ N. PETERS. PHOTo-L1THOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. n C.

C. BERNHARDT. SSheets-Sheet 2. Combined Aooordon and Flute.

Inventor fvg .Patented Nov. 4,1879.

nuhuunllu 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

C. BERNHARDT.

Combined Accordion and Flute. -No. 221,148. Patented Nov. 4,1879.

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Wb'lwoog/ Invenor" NITED STATES PATENT FFIOE.

CHARLES BERNHARDT, OF BROOKLYN, NEIY YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD OF HIS RIGHT TO HENRY I'IEUBAOH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED ACCORDION AND FLUTE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22 1,1118, dated November 4, 1879; application filed July "29, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES BERNIIARDT, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Combined Accordion and Flute, of which the following` is a speciiication.

Figure l is a transverse section of my improved combined accordion and flute; Fig. 2, a side view ofthe same, the covering-plate for the openings to the tintes being removed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section ot the same, taken on the plane ofthe line c c, Fig. 1. Fig. I is a longitndinalsection, showing the communication between the two bellows; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the plane ot' the line L 7c, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The object of this invention is to provide a hand-accordion, which is a reed -instrument worked by bellows and suitable keys on a keyboard, with a tinte attachment, so that either the reeds alone or the tlutes alone, or both the reeds and the flutes, may be simultaneously played.

The difficult-y which I encountered in constructing such a device for connection with accordions having double-acting reeds had its principal source in the fact that in such accordions each key works upon two different reeds, one being played when the bellows are being contracted, the other when they are being extended. It is therefore necessary, in order to operate ilutes with corresponding sound, so to arrange the apparatus that one flute will be played by the action of a given key whenever the bellows are being drawn ont or extended, and a different flute played with the same key when the bellows are being contracted. In order to thus acquire an automatic change of iiutes by the mere reversal of the motion ofthe bellows in harmony with the automatic change of reeds obtained by the same movements, I use a hinged key-board, which has a slight motion ot its own, thereby operatin g a certain valve, which allows air from the bellows to enter one flute-compartment or wind-chamber when the bellows are contracted, and another flute-compartment or wind-chamber when the bellows are extended. The tintes that communicate with one of these two windchambers correspond with the reeds which can be played at the time such wind-chamber is brought into action, and in similar manner the other wind-chamber corresponds with the remaining reeds.

A further difficulty which I encountered led me to apply to the ordinary bellows a secondary bellows particularly intended to supply the llutes.

Other details of invention, which will. be hereinafter more fully specilied, are also embraced in my improved instrument, and constitute part of that which I claim as new.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A represents the ordinary bellows of a handaccordion, and Bis the key-board of the same, being a projection on one face of the bellows, in which there are hinged or pivoted a series of keys, O O. Each of these keys communicates at at its inner end, as shown in Fig. 1, with a lever, D, that carries or controls a valve, E, which valve, by a suitable spring, is, in its normal condition, placed over the air-opening a, that leads to one pair of reeds, c3.

As the operator works the bellows A the air will enter that air-channel, a, on which the valve E may be lifted by proper compression of one of the keys C, and if one particular key C is depressed, the air will sound one of the reeds as the bellows are being expanded, and another reed as the bellows are being contracted, thus .producing two diiierent sounds, according to the motion of the bellows, all of which is well known and common in accordions.

New I attach to the same accordion a row of iiutes, F F, which are indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5. These tintes communicate alternately with air-channels b and d, (shown in Fig. 1,) said air-channels leading, respectively, into air-chambers or wind-chests Gr and II. In other words, the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, Sac., flute ofthe series has each communication with a separate channel, l), and thereby with the wind-chest G, and the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, &c., llute of thc series communicates each by a separate channel, (l, with the wind-chest H, the two wind-chests G and II being positively divided by a suitable partition, e. (Shownin Fi g.l.) Communication between the said two wind-chests and the several channels b d is interrupted in the normal position of the instrument by valves f and g, respectively. These valves f f/ are arranged in relation to each other in pairs, (one in the box G, the other in the box II,) and always in line with each other and with one of the keys C of the key-board; and posts h h connect said two valves with the lever D, that communicates with such kcy, as clearly shown in Fig. l, so that by depressing the key C the operator raises both valves, j" and g, which pertain to such key oft their seats, thereby establishing communication between the wind-chambers G and H and two of the utes, being those two iintes which are to be played by means of that particular key C which is depressed.

In order, as already stated, to prevent one of these two flutes from being played except in harmony with the corresponding reed of the pair of reeds which is worked by the same key C, I canse the wind-chambers G and II to communicate with another wind-chamber, I, by two openings,i and j, which are also shown in Fig. 1.

Communication between one ot' the chambers G I-I and the chamber I is always interrupted, and between the other and I always open, this being eti'ected by means of two valves, l and in., which are attached to a beam, n, that is pivoted within the chamber I.

In the normal position a suitable spring, o, causes the valve m to close the openingj, as shown in Fig. 1. The beam a connects by a rod, p, with another bea1n,J, which, in turn, connects by a rod, q, with the key-board B. rIhis keyboard is, at one end, hinged to the face-plate of the bellows, as shown at r in Fig. 3, the the rod q connecting with it at the free end of the hinged key-board, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig.

Whenever the operator contracts the bellows the hinged key-board is carried close to the bellows, thereby pushing the rod g inwardly, and swinging the beam J, and conse quently, also, the beam n, on their respective pivots, and closing the valve l against the opening i, whereby communication between the chambers G and I is interrupted, but between the chambers Hand I established. The wind therefore is admitted dnrin g the contracting' motion of the bellows from the chamber I into the chamber I-I, and thence, as the proper key G is depressed, into that channel, d, which leads to the iiute to be played, so that the iiute which harmonizes with the reed, which is also played by the depression of the certain key C when the bellows are being contracted, will be acted upon.

)Vhen the bellows (leaving the same key C depressed) is being extended the hinged keyboard B will be slightly drawn away from the bellows A and from the rod q, allowing the spring 0 to close the valve m, and to thus in terrupt communication between the chambers II and I, and establish communication between the chambers Gand I. Consequently, by the extending motion ot' the bellows the air will be admitted into the channel I) of the iiute intended to be played, which is the same flute that harmonizes with the reed which is being played at the time ot extending the bellows by the depression oi" a certain key. Itl a number of keys G are depressed at the same time, the same action will, ot' course, take place between the respective tintes and reeds that are being played.

It now behooves me to show how the air is admitted into the chamber I.

To this end I have attached a separate bellows, L, to one end or other'part of the bellows A. The two bellows communicate with each other through a pasaage,s, (shown in Fie'. 4,) so that whenever the flutes are to be played wind will be forced from the bellows A, through the opening s, into the bellows L, whence, through another opening, t, the air reaches the windbox I, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

If the flutes are not to be played, but only the reeds, communication between the two bellows L and A is interrupted by means of a valve, a, which closes the opening s under action of a suitable spring', o. The power ot' the spring e is such that it will not yield to the pressure ot' the air contained within the bellows A, but will leave the valve a closed, no matter how much the bellows A is operated; but if the flutes are to be played the valve ais positively opened by pulling a slide, M, which has a wedge-shaped extremity, (indicated in Fig. 5,) and lifts the valve a ott' the opening s by contact with a pin, u, on said valve, all as shown in Fig. 5.

Thus it is plain that by simply moving the slide M outward the bellows L are set in action, and, therefore, the flutes played together with the reeds, while, it' the reeds alone are to be played, it is simply necessary to push the slide M inward, thereby entirely disconnecting the tlute part from the reed part ot' the instrument.

If it should be desired to play the iiutes alone, and not the reeds, the usual perforated slide N is made use ot' to interrupt communication between the bellows A and the air outlet and inlet openings x, which, when the slide N is opened, serve as supply and discharge openings for the air operated by the bellows A, but, when the slide N is closed, prevent the bellows A from affecting the reeds. In case the slide N is closed and the iiutes alone are to be played, air is admitted to the bellows A by opening one of the usual apertures pron vided for that purpose, as shown at 1/ in Fig. 1, to obtain air enough for operating the tlutes.

rlhe several tintes F F ofthe series are fastened into one single continuous frame, andare ot' different lengths and of diiierent dimen sions transversely to produce the sounds de sired of each. The air-cutting edge z of each iiute is directly above a narrow slit, c2, which communicates with a small chamber, b2, that is in connnunication either with one of the channels b or d, according to the location of the particular finte. The several chambers b2, which are more clearly shown in Fi 2, are all in a row, and the slits a2 are simply formed by gumming or otherwise fastening small strips e2, of pasteboard or equivalent material, upon the partition between the said several chambers b2, and in then covering the entire row of chambers b2 by a covering-plate, I. (Shown in Fig. l.) This leaves the partitions between the several chambers b2 closed and the slits a2 between the several chambers and their respective iiutes open, and is a means of forming the air-comnninication much less exfexpensive than it each flute were separately constructed. In like manner I reduce the eX- pense of' constructiu g the several flutes by forming the bevel for the cutting-edge e on a board, R, which covers the entire. series of flutes, as indicated in Figs. l and 2, so that by the one bevel the air-cutting edges for all the tintes are obtained.

I desire it to be particularly understood that instead of' flutes other wind instruments may be used, such as clarionettes, cornets, or the like, and that for the purposes of my invention the term finte7 in this specification is intended to include every equivalent wind instrument.

I claiml. The combined accordion and flute, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination ofthe key C of a reedaccordion with the lever D, carryiu g the valve E, and with the valves fg and channels b d, leading to a series of flutes, substantially as specified.

3. The combined ntc and accordion made with a hinged key-board, B, for operating the valves l m whenever the bellows A is being' operated, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the hinged key-board B with the beam a, valves im, and intermediate mechanism, and with the chambers G, H, and I, for operation substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in a combined accordion and flute, of the key C, with two reeds, which are worked by moving said key, and with two flutes corresponding to said reeds, for operation substantially as specified.

G. The combination of the separate bellows L with the wind-chamber I and with the distributi n g Windchambers G and H, which communicate with alternate flutes, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination of the key of an aceordion with the valves of' two fiutes and with the keyboard and bellows A, all arranged as described, so that by reversing the mot-ion of the bellows the said two iiutes are alternately brought into action, substantially as specified.

S. The combination of the bellows A of an accordion with the finte, the bellows L, and intervening valve n, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination ofthe bellows A and L with the wind-chamber I and distributingchambers G II, which lead to channels b d, respectively, substantially as and for thc purpose set forth.

10. The combination of the accordion-belA lows A, flute-bellows L, and intervening valve a with the mechanism M, for throwing the flutes into or out of act-ion without interfering with the reeds, substantially as specitied.

ll. The combination of the accordion-bellows A and finte-bellows L with the mechanism N, for throwing the reeds out of action or into action without interfering with the iiutes, substantially as specified.

12. The covering-board R for the series of flutes, made with the continuons bevel e to constitute the air-cutting edges for all the finies, substantially 0as andf'or the purpose specified.

13. rIhe combination of the series of flutes F F, having air-cutting edges e, with the slits c2 and chambers b2, and with the narrow strips c?, placed upon the partitions between the said chambers b2, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

14. The combination of the hinged key-board B with the rod q, beam J, rod p, beam n, spring o. and valves l m, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

CHARLES BERNHARDT.

Witnesses:

T. B. Mosnnn, A. v. Bumsen. 

